GOODBYE JUSHIRO UKITAKE
by Raven Solas Hallow
Summary: Shunsui finally confesses his love to his best friend but is it too late for them to even be together... read and find out. Rated M just to be safe because it hints toward something -


**_HEY READERS ITS RAVEN HALLOW AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR READING THIS _**  
**_UMMMMMMMMMM…..._**

**_*DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach - or "Goodbye lullaby" –owned and sung by Avril Lavigne- listen to it as you read_**  
**_ -WARNING: * T+ BECAUSE OF: death and blood and hinting to "certain things -GuyxGuy-"_**  
**_*THIS IS A SONG FIC_**  
**_GUY LOVE DON'T LIKE = DON'T READ _ -really not that hard to do_**  
**_*UNBETA-ED -unless you count a bipolar spell check on Microsoft word - don't own that either :(-_**  
**_Ps I will get back to writing/editing "blood raven of death" _**  
**_-Thank you – _**  
**_PPS: Sad/Happy-ish ending depend on point of view_**  
WORD COUNT: -without song- 2,583 -with song- 2,778

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GOOD-BYE JUSHIRO UKITAKE

The sun shone throughout the Seireitei giving it a pleasant atmosphere that was neither too hot nor too cold. Smiling I say softly to the figure that lay out in the sun on the pink woman's kimono "today is such a beautiful day that comes once in a millennia. What do you think Shunsui?" I looked over at my lifelong friend and waited for his reply. "Hm…indeed it is Jūshirō…indeed it is." He replied sleepily.

*Oh, Shunsui you never seem to change and that's one of the things I love about you…I wish that I had enough courage to tell you how I really feel about you but I don't want to hurt you if my weakness over powers me one of these days…* "Hey Jūshirō you there?" I snapped out of my train of thought and focused on my friend. "I'm sorry Shunsui I didn't hear your question. Could you please repeat it?" I said quickly.

My friend chuckled and repeated, "Would you like to go on a picnic with me?" Smiling I nodded and asked, "When do you want to go?" "How about now…unless you have something else planned?" was my answer. I smiled and said I did not have anything planned for the rest of the day.

Forty minutes later, we were standing in the middle of a field full of wildflowers and blooming sakura trees. Shunsui led me over to the largest sakura tree situated next to a grass-hidden pond. There he laid a white blanket upon the grass with the basket. I smiled as I stared at my lifelong friend as he reclined against the tree beside me. We stayed like that for a while until the sun went behind the white fluffy clouds. At this point, the two of us had started to nibble at the sandwiches and tea cookies that were in the basket.

"Ahem." I turned my head in the direction my friend only to find him hiding his face under his sakkat. Inquisitively I asked, "Is there something wrong Shunsui?" The he shook his head as he said, "Err…I don't know how to ask this…um…maybe you can help me with it Jūshirō?" I nodded my head only to realize that he could not see me through his sakkat "I'm sure that I can help you so you don't have to be shy about it Shunsui we've been friends since the academy."

"Okay then" Shunsui said as he pushed his sakkat back so I could see his beautiful grey eyes once more. "Well Jūshirō, I was wondering how would you go about umm….I don't know err… how would you confess your feelings to someone you like?" I looked at him with a smile and said, "So you mean you have strong feelings for someone...someone like Nanao?" "Well not exactly" Shunsui said as he scratched the back of his head, "Well I do like her but not in that way but I do like someone… but not her or even anyone from her gender." Shunsui rambled, "What I'm trying to say is like another male, but you could say he looks like a female from a distance from his long hair."

Shunsui chuckled and how I loved his laugh, it was rich and smooth like silk. "So you finally came out of the closet about liking Byakuya but don't you think he's a little young for you?" I joked playfully trying to stifle my laughter. -Smack- I looked up to see my friend with the palm of his hand pressed firmly to his forehead mumbling "That's not what I mean and I don't like him I like - never mind just forget that I asked.." "But Shun," I begged "you asked me for help and how can I help if you won't tell me who?"

"Umm…well you see umm….err… I…I…I god why is this so hard to say" Shunsui stumbled over his words when he saw my deep brown eyes ogling him. "Well here goes nothing. Umm Jūshirō Ukitake you know that I have been by your side since god knows when and you know that I would do anything for you even fallow you to hell if it ever came to that and I-" "Shunsui what does this have to do with liking another man." I asked completely confused.  
I watched my friend sigh and say, "Jūshirō the man that I like is you…I kinda have since we first met back at the academy. I know that you might be mad at me or disgusted with me and you never want to be around you ever again but I could not let another day slip by without me telling you how I feel about you because…because you might not be alive tomorrow…and I want to be-." I watched my friend stumble over his words trying to confess the feelings that he had hidden since we first met, and I did the only thing I could to stop his rambling… I kissed him and immediately he kissed back.

I pulled away after the need of air became too great. A faint blush dusted on both of our faces. We both started to laugh in relief knowing the other felt the same way about them and then that's when my demon decided to rear its ugly head. The first dreaded cough followed by another and another until blood started to flow from my mouth. I felt strong arms pick me up then a brush of air followed by shouts of people being order around. The coughing continued to wrack my body until the pain it caused was too much and I succumbed to the darkness.

When I woke, I saw that I was back in 'my room' in the fourth division's medical ward. I heard a rustling of fabric next to my bed. Turning my head I saw Shunsui passed out on the edge of the bed holding me hand. Smiling I looked up when Retsu Unohana walked into the room with her clipboard in hand checking over the data. The motherly woman spoke in her quite but strong voice "He hasn't left your side since he carried you here." Smiling she continued, "You're lucky that this was only a mild attack. You may leave when I'm done checking over your vitals, but you should be more careful or you might be in here longer next time." I nodded knowing that she was right.

After Retsu left, I nudged my love awake. When he opened his eyes, he sat straight up upon seeing that I was awake and alive. "Jūshirō you're awake. Are you okay? What happened? Does Retsu know that your-" I put a finger to his lips saying, "It's okay I'm perfectly fine Retsu is letting me leave now that's why I woke you." I watch my friend sigh in relief as I stood making our way back to the thirteenth squad barracks.

Upon reaching my quarters, I noticed something did not feel right but Retsu said everything checked out so I brushed it off as me being paranoid. After making tea for Shunsui and I we decided to sit in the shade of the trees next to my koi fish pond noticing that I had new inhabitants –gifts from Yachiru no doubt- Sighing I snuggled into my friends shoulder asking "How long was I out for this time." Shunsui tugged his sakkat down saying, "Four days …a week actually." I tilted his hat up and pecked Shunsui on the cheek "Thank you for staying by me."

"I said that I would be by your side even if we were in hell. Any way Shirō I love you." After he stated that, he kissed me. The kiss was sweet and tender full of passion and all of our emotions, fear, hope and love. I tilted my head to deepen the kiss trying to come to terms that this was real and not just one of my dreams that would disappear leaving me filled with want.

I did not know how we ended up inside but I soon found myself with my back pressed to my futon with my Shun on top of me and nor did I care because this was heaven. If I died now I would die with no regrets…  
I awoke the next morning to an arm around my waist and a kiss to my temple. "Morning beautiful how are we today hmm?" I giggled and snuggled closer. "I'm quite happy Shun especially after last night…it was amazing." I felt the bed shift as Shunsui got up to make tea. Stretching I rose and stared at the mirror hanging on the opposite wall. I notice that my white hair was tussled and the very tips of it were red! I did a double take and found no trace of blood or other red substances in my hair. After we both showered, we left for work after a brief kiss goodbye.

Later that day the feeling from yesterday came back and I doubled over in pain coughing up blood. Both of my seated officers rushed into the room as I fell and this time I knew I would not be getting back up this time…at least Shunsui Kyōraku knows that I love him…. Then everything faded to black.

-Beep-beep-beep- I opened my eyes to find Shunsui leaning over me with a worried look upon his face. Smiling I raised a trembling hand and pressed it to his stubbled face. I watched him put his hand to mine trying to bite back tears. Still smiling I asked him though the oxygen mask, "Could you sing me a lullaby… like you normally… do when I… can't …sleep?" He only nodded and started to sing a sweet little song.

"Hey Shun… would you mind… if I closed… my eyes… for a little while… I feel really tired… and it's… starting to… get harder… to …breath." He only nodded as tears started to streak down his face "Yes Jūshirō, my love, you may rest just promise me that you won't ever leave me again…because I finally got to confess to you that I love you okay." I nodded –beep…beep…beep….beep- "Shunsui I forgot to tell you that I love you -beep…..beep…beep- too …and I'm glad that I finally got to tell you…now I have nothing to …regret…good-bye …my love… I'll always love you." -….beep….beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeep- I closed my eyes for the final time with the face of my lover burned into my memory forever.

The loss of Jūshirō's kind and warm spiritual pressure was felt instantly throughout the Seireitei informing everyone that Captain Ukitake had passed. The funeral was the next day and no cared that it rained they just sat through it in order to pay their last respects to Captain Ukitake. The day of the funeral, nothing dared to make a sound not even the hyperactive Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi of squad eleven who sat beside Kenpachi quietly crying. The only person who was not in attendance was the Captain of Squad Eight.

Everyone in the congregation looked up when they saw pink, red and white flower petals float through the air around them mixing in with the rain. Then they saw him, Captain Kyōraku, with his face shaved smooth, his hair cut short with no sakkat covering it and the pink woman's kimono folded in his hands. The group watched him walk up to the body of his lover to place the pink kimono over his body tucking him in whispering, "I love you forever and we'll see each other again soon. I love so take care of yourself my love. Good-bye brown eyes and good-night my love." With that said, he placed one final kiss on his love's forehead inserting his pink hair pin in Jūshirō Ukitake's hair before he left walking down the aisle disappearing from view leaving the flower petals in his wake.

Tears of angels fell from the sky as they witnessed the end of a great spirit. His soul carried away from those that loved him all because he had lost to his terminal illness. Thunder clapped overhead as the tears continued to fall upon the roofs of the Seireitei. A lone figure that had been missing since his check up the day after the funeral stood on the hill in the rain close to the grave marker -a zanpakutō - that belonged to his everything. The funeral was nearly three months ago and even now, it still felt like the day that he lost his love.

Shunsui Kyōraku took it the hardest as he watched his lifelong friend and new lover Jūshirō Ukitake fade. He could recall everything about that day including how radiant Ukitake's smile was. More thunder clapped as the man fell to his knees in front of the grave coughing slightly. The said man then smiled saying, "Shirō I know that I haven't visited since the funeral -cough- but I…I just didn't want to -cough- worry you but anyway I get to see -chough- you soon -cough-." The man smiled as blood started to come with his coughs "I wanted to tell you that Retsu found out that I caught your sickness as well. The look on her face was heartbreaking -chough…chough- when she told me that I had less than three months left to live. So I get to see you soon right, my love?" asked Shunsui and he did not expect the reply that came "Yes my love you get to see me soon," replied a quiet voice "but I wish that it wasn't because of this."

Shunsui looked up to see his best friend dressed in a pale blue kimono holding the pink woman's kimono that he had given him at the funeral in his hands, walk toward him smiling just as he did that day of the panic. "Jūshirō…you're here," whispered the man as more blood spilled forth with another coughing fit. The phantom smile fell as he knelt in front of the ill man "Yes I'm here to take you away from here only if you want to go…" Shunsui looked up and was about to ask something only for Jūshirō to speak "It's up to you my love." The man only nodded a yes. Jūshirō smiled and kissed him gently on the lips causing the ill man to sigh as he passed on. The phantom laid the body down holding his hand. He stood a few moments later hand in hand with the now phantom Shunsui clad in the same outfit as Jūshirō with the pink kimono over his shoulders. The two then walked toward the trail that appeared before them letting the fog consume them.

The next day with the end of the rain Nanao and Rukia found Captain Kyōraku next to Jūshirō's grave just as his note had said. The man was smiling as he held his hand to the side of him as if he was holding the dead man's hand. The two women knew that he was welcomed to the other life by his best friend and lover. Shunsui was buried next to Jūshirō the same day.

Even as the years pass, shinigami still come to the hill to see if they could see the spirits of the two captains and their zanpakutō. None, except for Retsu Unohana and Genryūsai Yamamo, ever saw the ghosts that sat looking over the Seireitei from the hill smiling as they held hands whispering sweet nothings and lullabies in the wind.

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